Nora and Jaune are Platonic Friends
by Someone took the name Rags
Summary: Whacky hijinks with Jaune and Nora. Feelings will be felt, memories made, and lives saved as they go on a mission to find the meaning of "friendship"
1. Wherein Jaune parleys with Nora

Jaune Ark found himself wandering the halls of Beacon alone, attempting to drown out his thoughts with the hustle and bustle of the students as they moved to a from unknown destinations, absorbed in their own worries and cares. He envied them as they went about their day, unaware of the troublesome thoughts that occupied him.

Two nights prior to this excursion, Jaune had found himself entangled with a young woman who prior to that evening he had never felt he truly knew. But now, he might say he knew her too well. They had spent the better portion of the afternoon wrapped up in one another, and all at once he had been uplifted from naivety to manhood by Nora's bountiful embrace. Though in the heat of the moment he felt it acceptable, with each hour since his waking the next day, he wondered more and more if what he had agreed to was wrong. It wasn't just the sudden passion between them, no. In truth, it was the thought of looking Nora in the eye without truly having a romantic notion in his heart. All his life he'd been taught about true love and devotion, and yet he still saw Nora as a friend, and not a lover.

These perplexing points crossed his mind endlessly throughout his waking hours, be they spent in class, training, or simply lying awake at night, watching the moon-cast shadows play across the ceiling of his dorm room. So much had they invaded his judgment that he found himself toppled three times as often during his sparing sessions with Pyrrha. And all that wasn't even taking into account what had happened with her that night.

At last, the hour drew dark, and the students began returning to their room for lights out. Jaune sighed, and resigned himself to spend another night tossing and turning as he contemplates his morality. With all the enthusiasm of a damp rag, he listlessly drifts toward his room. As he spies the door approaching, his only hope is that Ren and Pyrrha might break the silence of the evening with some chatter before he left for night training.

Luckily, Nora had agreed to assist with the Grifball team's practice, and so was not in their room between Jaune's arrival and his departure. This absence would not last though. As Pyrrha effortlessly tossed him around the roof of the school, he worried what he might say if Nora tried to strike up any conversation. For the past few days, she'd only made small talk, or had been too busy to converse, but sooner or later he would need to face her. He contemplated jumping from the roof, but then remembered that thanks to Pyrrha's regimen, the fall would do little but painfully wound him, even if he concentrated the force of the fall on his skull.

After training was over, Jaune afforded himself a hot shower, hoping to relax himself. It had no perceivable effect, and he returned to his room tired and anxious. As he settled into his bunk, he stared at the ceiling again, pretending to count the popcorn that covered it, while silently punishing himself for his actions. Somehow, he managed to get to sleep. That is, until his dreamless slumber was interrupted by a quaking.

Jaune's eyes opened suddenly, beholding the pitch black of his room. As his eyes adjusted, he noticed an unusual warmth at his right side, and when he peeled back the covers, he found a young woman, voluptuous in her tight nightclothes, nestled against him. For a moment he had himself convinced this was a dream, or perhaps a nightmare, but when he saw her wide eyes turn up to look at him he knew it to be true.

"Nora," he whispered, cautious to avoid waking the others. "What are you doing here? Go back to bed."

Nora shook her head, and pulled herself up to speak to him more closely. Jaune felt a bit of excitement having her rub up against him again, and briefly wondered if she might want something other than a word.

"You haven't talked to me in days. This is the only chance I'm going to get, so I'm taking it." Nora spoke softly, yet her natural energy emphasized every word.

"W-well it's- I mean I've been busy."

"You aren't busy now, unless you were up to something under here?"

Jaune sighed, rolling his eyes. There was no way out of this, clearly. And truth be told, he didn't want to force her away just yet.

"Why have you been avoiding me? Is it because of what we did? I thought we agreed that it was just casual."

"It was but… I guess I just feel sort of guilty."

"You didn't do anything. I wanted it. You wanted it. We're grown up, we can have some fun without it being complicated."

"Yeah well, I guess not." Jaune looked away from Nora, hoping that escaping her gaze would give him more courage. It works for a moment, but Nora forcibly pulls his face back to look at hers when she speaks.

"Jaune, you're being really uncool. You looked me in the eye and told me you didn't love me, and that's fine. But if you're going to stop being my friend just because we had one night together, this team thing is gonna blow hard for the next four years. So can you at least take out your tampon long enough to get over it?" Nora's gaze if fierce, and Jaune's resolve begins to melt. He shut his eyes, and exhales, letting the stress flow out.

"Alright, okay. Sorry. I won't be so closed off."

"I just want you to talk to me. You're my leader."

Jaune nodded and the two of them share a smile. For a moment, Jaune forgot why he was even worried. Nora's face is actually quite disarming when she's happy. As they watched each other, Jaune felt a sudden warm sensation run through him.

"Wh-what? Nora?"

As they lay there, Nora had taken Jaune in her hand, and begun playfully toying with him. She never broke eye contact, instead watching his face for every reaction. She seemed to be greatly enjoying his facial contortions as she stroked his ever growing length through his shorts.

"Shh, you're gonna wake up the others." She smiled, excited by the way Jaune writhed beneath her.

"I th-thought we said we were f-friends?" Jaune couldn't help throwing his head back as Nora seemed to hit every spot he wanted without even being told.

"We are. But you're a fucking good lay. So how's about we just… you know. Help each other out now and then? Nothing serious, just taking the edge off." She took her hand from him long enough to slip it inside his clothing, and as skin met skin the sensation Jaune felt grew ten times as intense. He struggled not to make a noise in the dark. "Go ahead and resist if you don't like it."

"You-ah! You're…" Jaune was forced to bite his knuckle to stifle a groan, and seeing this Nora sped up her motions. Jaune had had enough by now, and agreed silently to Nora's terms. "B-but you're…"

Nora slowed down, allowing Jaune enough power to at least speak his mind.

"Isn't it unfair if you're just doing this for me?" He spoke in fluctuating volume, it being the best he could manage in the current situation.

"Oho! Good point. You know, I slept like a rock that night thanks to you. It hasn't been the same since. I just figured I'd return he favor tonight to make us even. Starting tomorrow, we're fresh. Got it?" Nora did not wait for Jaune's answer, instead tightening her grip and speeding up again. The last few strokes were almost as good to Jaune as Nora's insides had been before, and he climaxed into her hand. As he came down, Nora licked her reward from her fingers, smiling. Jaune soon relaxed fully, and just as Nora predicted, felt incredibly sleepy and ready to drift off. As he shut his eyes though, he felt Nora grab hold of his left wrist, and pull it across his chest.

He turned, and before he knew it Nora had pulled his arm around her into a cuddling position. Jaune was confused, to be sure, but did not question it. Instead, he merely closed his eyes again, and let his hand wander beneath her cotton top, to cup her naked breast as they fell asleep.

Nora was gone the next morning, but thanks to her help Jaune had slept so well he nearly landed a hit during his training that night.


	2. Wherein Jaune asks a question

At noon on a Sunday morning, Nora showers as Jaune and Ren spend the day in town, with only Pyrrha to keep her company. As Pyrrha cleans up the dorm room, picking up and sorting the light sprinkling of towels, socks, and snack wrappers that blemish her team's place of relaxation, she notices something odd. Normally when Nora washes, she leaves her socks on the ground by her bed, as she didn't like getting them wet in the bathroom. On top of that, she would often begin slipping out of her pajamas on the way, leaving others to place her discarded clothing in the hamper for washing. Today however, her clothes seemed to be the only ones missing from the floor. However, as strange as this was, Pyrrha doesn't have the entire afternoon to investigate it. She plans to go for a run before the others came back, so she would have time to shower uninterrupted by their rowdiness. She tosses a chip bag into the small trash can in the corner of the room, and begins changing.

As Pyrrha sets out in her running shoes and tank top, she bids Nora goodbye. Not more than a few moments later, the sound of cascading water from the bathroom stops. The room is silent for a time, and then the bathroom door swings open. Nora steps out, -hair still wet- wrapped in a towel as she happily trots toward the dresser. Jaune follows, pulling his t-shirt back on as he slicks back his damp hair

"I told you she was coming back!" Jaune exclaims as he takes a seat on the edge of his bed. Nora is busy pulling out a set of clothes, but she is listening. "We should have waited until she'd left." Nora slides the drawer shut and looses the knot in her towel, letting it drop to the floor as she flips her chosen shirt from being inside out.

"Relax, she doesn't know. I spent all day with her last night, remember? She's fine." Nora turns to face Jaune as she speaks, but her mouth shuts in frustration when she realizes he is diverting his gaze. She takes a few steps toward him, her assets still on full display as Jaune tries to avoid her general direction. "You just spent the last twenty minutes washing me, and now you're shy?"

"What? This is different!"

"How is it different? You've seen me naked Jaune, there's nothing left to be embarrassed about." Nora cocks her hip, resting a hand on it. Jaune slowly turns to look at her, his face red. He scans her up and down for a moment, and then looks away again.

"There? Happy?" Jaune often feels a bit pressured by Nora's teasing, but he is by no means opposed to observing her form more often. Nora scowls, then turns away from Jaune. With her panties in hand, she bends down, almost touching her hands to the floor as she begins slipping on a sick. Jaune takes a quick peek, and is shocked to see Nora presenting herself so openly. "H-hey! Stop! What are you doing?!"

"I'm just getting dressed. Why, is something wrong?" Nora spends an intentionally long time pulling on her first sock, and then the other.

"You're doing that on purpose!" Jaune is now openly watching Nora's display, as she stands up and stretches her arms to the sky.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Anyway, since the others aren't coming back for a while, I'm kinda thinking I might just relax a bit." Nora walks to her bed, swaying her hips back and forth with each step, and lies down. She reclines, arms and legs spread out, and shuts her eyes, releasing a long sigh. Across the room, Jaune swallows as he observes her. Clad only in ankle socks, Nora's body is quite something. Had he not spent himself in the shower with her a minute ago, he would likely be ready to set into her right now. Just then, a thought rises.

"Nora?"

"Yes?" She rolls onto her stomach, putting her thighs and bottom on display for him.

"You said we're, like, special friends?"

"That's gay dudes, Jaune. We're friends with benefits."

"Right, right. But, like, what does that mean? We just do… 'stuff' together?" Nora sits back up, looking over to Jaune with a surprisingly serious face. She observes his reaction a moment longer.

"It means we don't let dumb labels old timey romance expectations stop us from having adult fun. We just do each other favors, and those favors happen to involve a lot of stuff that feels really, really good." As Nora explains, she recalls the first night she and Jaune spent together, and the deep rooting he gave her out of the blue. They hadn't had anything at that level of sensation since, but Jaune was certainly improving with time. "Jaune, if you aren't comfortable with this-"

"It's not that. I mean, I really like… that stuff."

"Sex."

"Sex stuff. I just can't wrap my head around it, I guess. Like, I just come when you call me?" Jaune feels this question to be an inadequate representation of his inner quandaries, but he can think of nothing that would make it clearer. Before he knows it, Nora is upon him again, only now she is pulling on her shirt. She is still bottomless, however.

"It means we help each other. It's not just about me. If you feel good, I'll feel better. Okay?" Nora smiles down at Jaune, and he can't help but return the gesture. Nora about faces and returns to her bedside to pull on a pair of white panties. While he watches, Jaune feels something inside him stirring.

"S-so…if I like, asked you for something… you'd do it?" Nora, now as dressed as she ever gets on an off-day, turns back with a satisfied grin.

"I dunno. Depends on if you've been good, and what you want me to do. Do you want me to do something?" She begins taking slow, short steps back toward him. She can already see Jaune's member rising as she draws near.

"I mean, I'm just asking hypothetically. You asked me to get in the shower with you so… I mean, you don't have to or anything but-"

"Go on." Nora is before him again, bending at the waist to put their faces in close proximity.

"I-I just…I mean, I… I'm just saying if… L-like if maybe…You don't have to but…"

"Jaune? We talked about speaking up, didn't we?" Nora rests her hand on Jaune's crotch, slowly rubbing him through his shorts and boxers. Her eyes are serious, but her appetite shines through. Jaune spends a moment enjoying the feeling, gathering his courage to express his desires. After a minute or so of Nora's light teasing, he feels ready.

"I guess I've always wanted to… um…a -"His last words are mumbled so quietly Nora's ears barely register them.

"A what?" She begins to grow impatient, hoping he'll cut to the chase before she loses her restraint.

"A, uh…A blow…job?" Jaune's face is red as can be, as he nervously watches Nora's reaction. When the last syllable leaves his lips, he can already feel the urge to dive out the window building inside him. However, Nora's face is not one of disgust, remorse, or shock, as he expected. Actually, it's more one of amusement. She chuckles a bit, and then drops to her knees.

"Sure thing. Comin' right up." She says, as she begins to pull loose the chord on Jaune's shorts.

"H-huh!? Really?! I mean, don't force yourself if you don't want to, or anything!"

"Don't worry. Quid pro quo, y'know?" Nora frees Jaune's hardened shaft, and begins priming it with warm, gentle strokes of her hand.

"Wh-what does that mean?" Jaune already finds it a bit difficult to speak without stuttering or moaning from the sensation of Nora's hand.

"It means when we're done, you're gonna do me. Deal?" Nora gathers a bit of saliva in her mouth, and just before taking Jaune into it, she clues him in on her meaning by holding up a pair of fingers, and licking between them. "Get it?"

"No," Jaune replies.

"That's fine, you will."


	3. Whereain the team discusses their future

Deep in the forest outside of Vale, team JNPR is busy with a reconnaissance assignment given to them by the school. Their goal is to sweep a small area of the forest, eliminating all Grimm, and accounting for the number so that the government may take a proper census. This task is less than a mission, and more of a training exercise. The higher in year a team is, the further out and larger their area of operation is. It being their first year, JNPR must only cover a few miles.

Ren and Jaune have split from their female counterparts, in order to more swiftly complete their assignment. Though they claim to share the burden, in truth Jaune and Ren are tasked with covering the area closer to the walls, since Jaune is considerably less capable than his teammates. Normally, this would make Jaune feel uneasy, as his self confidence is shaky on a good day, but today he understands the gravity of his work, and the reasoning to being given the simpler job.

At half past noon, the boys stop their patrol, and climb a large tree to break for lunch. As Jaune nervously makes his way up, Ren sits on a high branch overlooking the forest, unpacking their rations. He carefully sets out two bowls of crackers, cheese, and cured ham. He then waits patiently, sipping water from his canteen as Jaune makes the final few feet of the climb.

"Alright, ergh! Just a little…more…! Gah!" Jaune throws his arms over the branch on which Ren sits, and dangles like a kitten. He begins kicking his legs with helpless grunts, trying to hoist himself up. Ren offers a hand, but Jaune politely refuses. After a minute of flailing and grunting, Jaune makes it up, and sighs in relief. "Man, that's gonna make lunch taste extra good."

Jaune takes his bowl from Ren, and the two begin munching. Jaune notes the characteristic saltiness of the ham, the staleness of the crackers, and the tasty pungency of the cheese. He's always liked cheese. They eat in relative silence for a while, but as time goes on, Jaune begins to feel a bit uneasy. He takes occasional glances at Ren, who seems more than content to consume his rations as he watches the serene forest view. When Jaune can finally no longer stand the stoic silence, he decides to strike up conversation.

"So, Ren. How's it been lately?" Jaune offers his best smile, but Ren does not look over to see it.

"Fine." Ren's response is short and simple. It doesn't seem rude, honestly, but it doesn't help further the discussion.

"Right. Um…S-so what have you been up to lately? Anything interesting or funny happen?" Jaune is a bit more nervous now, but he refuses to let things return to utter silence.

"Not particularly." Ren pops another cracker in his mouth, chewing calmly.

Jaune feels at a loss. He wonders why he is suddenly so tense around Ren, who he has always felt so reassured with. Hell, sometimes Jaune could feel a certain bond with the man, like brothers who needn't speak to understand one another. Then he remembered Nora. Their escapades lately had left Jaune quite worried, even if he did more than consent to it. He thought perhaps it was this that hung on his mind and made it hard to bare the silence between them. Jaune considered whether or not to approach the subject, and how he might if he did. Would Ren understand such a thing? Nora had always said their relationship was purely platonic, but he still felt a pang of guilt when he wondered about Ren's reaction. Would he be upset? Angry? Shocked? Jealous even? Perhaps it truly was a bad idea to mention it. It might jeopardize the structure of the team to reveal such a great revelation.

Still, Jaune thought, it was wrong to keep something secret. Even if it hurt him, Ren deserved to know. And so, Jaune gathered his courage, swallowed some water and spoke.

"Ren, there's something you should know. Nora and I…Well lately we've sort of been…" Jaune was to afraid to say it. He was afraid of what Ren might say or do. He was especially afraid of being shoved from this tree, the height of which seemed much greater now that he looked down.

"Fucking?" Ren asked, without ever taking his eyes from the forest below. Jaune was unsure at first, then stunned, then confused.

"W-wait, you know? How did you find out, we've been so careful!"

"Nora told me a few weeks ago." Ren continued to speak calmly as he chewed his food.

"She did?! B-but, then- but you never… Really?" Jaune felt terribly unsure of things. He'd assumed that his recent and rather random rendezvous with Nora was the utmost of secrets.

"We've been best friends since we could read, Jaune. She tells me just about everything."

"Really? Everything?"

"Yup. She even told me about the way you squeal when she takes her finger and-"

"Adadada! Enough, I get it! Jeez." Jaune waves his hands, as if trying to shoo away the words before Ren can speak them. He takes a few moments to clear his clouded thoughts, wondering truly how much everything meant.

"So…you're cool with it? With us, I mean?" Jaune is a little more at ease now, but Ren's stony face always makes it a bit hard to really read him. "You're not like…jealous?"

Ren sighs, putting his bowl down, and finally looking over at Jaune. "We're not together, Jaune. We never have been. How many times to we have to say it before people get it? We're just friends." Jaune nods, but he is still unsure. Ren seems to be able to detect it, by the way he rolls his eyes. Ren then reaches into his pants pocket, pulling out a billfold, and from it producing a small photograph. "Here."

Jaune takes it, flipping it around to see the image.

"What is this, some sort of- whoa! Whoa! This is- wow! She's really…Wait are you telling me that she's-"

"Yup."

"And you-"

"Yes."

"With her!?"

"Are you implying something, Jaune?"

"No! No, not at all. But wow, Ren. I didn't peg you for someone with… I'll just come out and say it: game. I'm actually impressed." Jaune hands the photo back to Ren, who begins putting it away.

"Yeah, well we have a lot in common." Ren tucks the billfold back into his pocket, and the two continue eating. Though they speak no more during their patrol, Jaune feels he knows Ren a little better now, and the air between them is no longer tense.

Deeper in the forest, Pyrrha and Nora patrol in similar silence. They have only seen and dispatched six Grimm after the entire morning's patrol, and since then things have been completely peaceful. They make a bit of small talk, and even crack the occasional joke, but for the most part they focus on keeping their senses tuned outward, ready for any possible threats to approach.

They spend several hours patrolling, breaking, and patrolling again until it's nearly time to report back to base. When the sun begins to set, they decide to turn back and gather the others before heading home. It is now that Pyrrha begins making her move.

"Hey, I wanted to thank you again for hanging out with me lately. I'm really glad we've opened up to each other more." Pyrrha gives her best smile to Nora, but her feelings are not truly shown in it. She is grateful for Nora's company, to be sure. But there is something else on her mind as well.

"No problem. It's been super fun! Actually, now that you mention it, there's this cool band playing at that café this weekend, and I was wondering if you'd want to go out again. I hear one of the singers is wears a skull mask to the shows; it's really awesome!" Nora, unlike her friend, is completely honest, which stings Pyrrha a bit.

"That sounds very nice. Would it just be the two of us?"

"What do you mean? I like it when it's just us; we have a lot of fun. Was there someone you wanted to bring?" Pyrrha slows her pace, and Nora matches it. There is suddenly a thickness in the air, and Nora's smile fades to a grin. "Pyrrha?" Pyrrha looks at the ground, reaching her arms behind her back and grabbing her left wrist with her right hand.

"I was just wondering if you might like to bring Jaune."

Both girls fall silent. Nora's smile is gone, and Pyrrha refuses to make eye contact. As they stand there, amidst the trees and grass, a cool breeze blows through the trunks, chilling them both. Nora scratches her elbow, then gives a tired sigh.

"I guess you knew all along?"

"Nora, I saw you two. Did you forget?" Pyrrha still doesn't take her eyes from the grass, but her voice seems a bit more aggressive.

"No, I didn't. I guess I just hoped you had. Look Pyrrha, I didn't start any of this to hurt you or anything. I just…I guess I just wanted it. Look if you want me to break it off-"

"I wanted you to tell me." Pyrrha's words cut deep, and Nora has no retort. She feels an aching in her chest. "After the time we've spent together, I figured we'd be above keeping secrets from each other."

"It wasn't a secret! Not really." Nora speaks with conviction, but she isn't sure she's telling the truth herself. "I just didn't want it to be a big deal. It's just-" Nora stops short. Her words seem cold, but it's the honest truth. "It's just sex."

Pyrrha turns to see Nora. Nora takes a slight step back when she sees her cold glare. It's the look of someone scorned, and not one Nora has ever been on the receiving end of. Pyrrha turns her body and takes a step forward, causing Nora to stumble. Pyrrha's hand lashes out, grabbing Nora's shirt and pulling her back up.

Then, all at once, something shocking happens. Nora is pulled forward into Pyrrha's arms, and before she can react, Pyrrha's lips are locked with hers. Nora's eyes go wide, and her arms shoot out to the sides as if surrendering. Pyrrha kisses her, holding her close, and trying to force her way in. Nora gives in and then Pyrrha's tongue is in her mouth, wrestling with Nora's. While it isn't Nora's first kiss, nor is it the first she shared with another girl, something about the passion with which Pyrrha goes about it is entrancing. Nora feels her body loosen up as Pyrrha toys with her, and just as she is ready to wrap her arms around Pyrrha and return the gesture, Pyrrha releases her and turns away.

"That's what you're missing out on. Come on, let's go."

Nora watches Pyrrha as she strides away, her own mouth agape as she struggles to come to terms with what has just happened. After it becomes clear there will be no follow up, Nora shakes her head to clear the confused, muddled thoughts and sprints to catch up.


	4. Wherein Pyrrha comforts Nora

Winter crept slowly across the continent, with grey clouds and cold winds that chilled the air little by little. The trees of Vale changed from verdant green, to a spectrum of golds, reds, and browns, and finally shook their trappings and bore themselves nude for the cold months. They too took on the monochrome shades of the season, and soon the city came to a quiet crawl as the ground and rooftops took upon them a blanket of white snow.

The people of Vale still went about their daily business, only now they were a bit more sluggish, and they wrapped themselves on coats and hats. Here and there they moved, colored specks trudging across a white canvas, with hot drinks in hand and warm smiles spread across their faces. While most places saw a large decline in traffic as the majority of citizens elected to stay indoors with their heaters, some specific locations flourished, such as cafes, clothing boutiques, and dust mercantile stores. Burn was all the rage this time of year, naturally.

Far above the main streets of this winter wonderland, on a fortified hill, stood Beacon Academy; a noble and proud institution which trained only the finest warriors in the world to defend humanity from their greatest enemies. Even now, as the rest of the people of Vale calmed down and settled in for the cold months, the students and staff of Beacon worked tirelessly to perfect their art, so that at any moment at which they are called to action, they may be ready and able to stand valiantly before death itself, and fight back the encroaching darkness. Day in and day out they trained, studying the art of war and tactics while building trust in one another. For as we know, the greatest weapon mankind has to fight the beasts that lurk in the shadows is our strength through unity.

Jaune considered all this as he eagerly buried himself in Nora beneath the covers of his bunk. The covers created a wall of comforting warmth and darkness as they melded together; breathing each other's passionate exhalations which had begun encircling their heads. They both made generous amounts of noise in the form of pleasured moans and breaths, and now and then one pulled the other into a tender kiss which lasted for as long as either of them could stand not breathing. As usual, Nora brought her legs up and around Jaune, holding him as close as she could while still allowing his hips room to move, gyrate and thrust for her enjoyment. Jaune wrapped his own arms under and around Nora, holding her close as he explored her depths.

This position among others had become something of a routine between them. With each passing week, their appetites for one another's flesh grew stronger, and they quickly found themselves increasing the frequency of their unions from once a week, to once a day, to every moment they were alone together. Part of this sudden rise in quality time was Jaune's doing. The more comfortable he had become with Nora's body and her pleasures, the more he wished to experience her delighted face and writhing body before him. But the blame was not solely his. Nora too, had long since become disinterested in other forms of stimulation. Jaune's increasing skill in satisfying her had made toys and her own hands completely obsolete at granting her sweet release. And so, they became dependant on one another, though neither of them would have admitted it.

Once Nora felt herself coming to a climax, asking Jaune to make the last few strokes count, they had already become too engrossed in one another's fulfillment to notice the door to their own dorm room opening. From the hall Pyrrha entered, casually at first, but then panicked once she realized what was occurring, and what the neighbors might do if they overhead the noise. She slammed the door, startling Jaune enough to make him pull the covers back, and cutting Nora off from the grand finale she had desired when the two hunters had begun their regular reunion. Jaune, who had tensed at the sudden ruckus, relaxed when he realized it was only his teammate and mentor. Nora was not so relieved.

"Agh! You suck Pyrrha! I was so close!" Nora shouted, releasing Jaune from her grip. She let her arms and legs go limp to allow him freedom to move, but he was too shy to leave the safety of the blanket and allow Pyrrha to behold his lower half. Nora and Jaune watched as Pyrrha's face reddened in a volatile mixture of embarrassment and anger.

"Are you two insane!? What if someone else had seen you!?" Pyrrha stomped her foot on the ground, shaking the room just slightly. "Don't you care what people might say?"

"Well they're sure as heck gonna figure it out if you start yelling, cranky pants." Nora pulled her legs up, sliding them under Jaune and out from beneath the covers. Jaune lifted an arm to allow Nora to leave the bed. She emerged in her underwear, which Pyrrha was silently thankful for, and began pulling her clothes back on. "It doesn't matter. You killed the mood."

Pyrrha sighed, placing her hands on her hips as she attempted to regain her shattered composure. "I know you two are fond of each other, but you should really think about the reputation of our team before you go doing things like this." Pyrrha watched as Nora pulled on a loose shirt, and threw herself onto her own bed, kicking her feet up. Jaune was still nervously holding the covers of his bunk up to his chest to hide his shame.

"Pyrrha, I told you if you wanted to join in we'd be more than willing to make room in the bed for you." Nora teased.

"Y-you did what now?" Jaune was not adept at taking subtle cues, and had shamefully grown slightly excited by the thought of this. He focused on calming down as the girls spoke.

Pyrrha, who had now regained the red cheeks she had upon entering the room, shut her eyes and screamed internally. "I'm not trying to tell you not to do this sort of thing, but it's not healthy to do it so often. At least take breaks from one another now and again, if only so you appreciate it more." Her words were soft on the surface, but she hide within them a bit of sharpness.

"Are you sure? I taught Jaune pretty well, and now he can lick the chrome off a bumper." Nora said with a wide grin. Pyrrha's eyes did shift over to Jaune, still covered in his blankets, and her face found a way to grow even redder at the thought of his shock of blond hair between her thighs. She pushed the thought away quickly.

"Can you at least contain yourself long enough to go into town with me today? You promised we'd get Edgar Burgers again, remember?"

"Oh shoot! I almost forgot! No problem, let's go right now. I'm actually really starving for some reason." Nora hopped out of bed like a puppy at the sound of the treat box and began pulling on a warm sweater as well as some fur lined boots. "Stay here, Jaune; I'll be back for you when we're done. In fact, keep it warm for me." Nora dashed across the room, turning Pyrrha around and shoving her out the door. "You're a doll!" She exclaimed as she rushes out into the hallway, slamming the door behind her.

Jaune sat quietly for a while, listening to the faint murmur of people in the hall, and watching the snowflakes coming to rest on the window-sill. He considered getting dressed, but when he lifted the blanket a bit to find some clothes, the sudden chill deterred him. He then considered settling in for a nap, but his nudity and the wet spot that had been created beneath where minutes ago he had been plunging himself into Nora made that unfavorable. He finally settled on doing as Nora asked, and priming himself for her return, though he did feel some shame in it.

Far away and sometime later, Nora Valkyrie and Pyrrha Nikos stood in line at their favorite sandwich stand. The line, although not as large as it has a tendency to be around noon, was long enough that Nora felt a sense of frustration strong enough to think it appropriate to stomp her feet and kick up snow as she and Pyrrha waited for their turn to order. Pyrrha tried to calm her, but lately she'd noticed Nora's temper getting the better of her.

"Stupid slow dumb stupid line! Nora needs food badly!" Nora shouted as she pelted an innocent pigeon with a snowball. It was sent tumbling, leaving behind only a few of its plumes. "Want eat! Want eat! Meat! Meat! Meat!"

"Nora, please, I'm sure he's working as fast as he can to fill the orders." Pyrrha said, resting a hand on her friend's shoulder, trying to bring her down from a ten to a five.

"But Pyrrha, I'm sooo hungry!" Nora turned, grabbing tightly onto Pyrrha's sweater and falling to her knees, almost taking the red-haired huntress to the ground with her. "My stomach hurts so baaad!" Pyrrha reached down and helps Nora to her feet, supporting her with one shoulder as she pat Nora's stomach with her free hand.

"Just be patient, we're almost to the front." Though Nora calmed down, Pyrrha noted her teary eyes and sudden loss of energy as she was forced to drag her a few feet every time the line moved.

When they finally reached the counter, the kind old man who ran the stand slapped two think meat patties onto his grill, sending out delicious sizzling as the fat of the beef was heated by direct contact with the black metal of the grill. At this, Nora perked up once more, and stood tall, peering over the list of selectable ingredients and condiments bolted to the side of the cart. Her mouth watered as she perused the list, and Pyrrha took it upon herself to save the old man some time by ordering first.

"I'll take one Edgar with cheese, onions, sauce, and lettuce. Oh, and a GavoGrape." The old man nodded happily, and reached beneath the grill to a hidden cooler, pulling from it a can of purple soda with a cartoon depiction of a grape cluster on the side, and their familiar slogan: 'People like Grapes!'

Pyrrha stepped aside to let Nora place her order, and she did with great joy and enthusiasm.

"I'll take one double-Edgar with pickles, relish, onion, sharp cheddar, provolone, swiss, mushroom, tomato, hot sauce, spinach, sardines, pineapple, guacamole, spicy mustard, green peppers, hummus, olives, bacon, turkey bacon, vegan bacon, bacon bits, a chicken patty, butter, butter lettuce, romaine, ginger, wasabi, soy sauce, paprika, black pepper, and ketchup. Oh, and a diet soda." The old man frantically scrambled to assemble the monstrosity Nora had commissioned, piling the ingredients high.

"Nora!" Pyrrha exclaimed, shocked at the magnitude and disgusting nature of Nora's order.

"I know, it's not good for you, but if I have too much sugar I'll be bouncing off the walls all night."

"No! Sir, just give her a deluxe, please. She doesn't know what she's talking about." The old man sighed in relief, scraping off the mountain of confused and pungent toppings from the beef patty. As he resumed his work, Pyrrha turned to her friend, who seemed to be mourning her lost meal. "What's gotten into you? Some of those things aren't even on the menu. Are you feeling alright?" Pyrrha reached a hand up to feel Nora's forehead for heat, comparing it to her own.

"I don't know. I just had a sudden craving and it hit me like a ton of bricks. Good thing you stopped me though. At one-fifty a topping I'd have been broke." The girls smiled at one another, but Pyrrha still felt a bit of concern for Nora's sudden drastic behaviors

As the two sat down at their usual bench to eat, Nora began savagely tearing into her sandwich, slowed down only by the need to bite and rip away the paper wrapped around it. She spat it away into the snow, and dug in without another word. Pyrrha opened her drink, taking a sip, then set it aside to unwrap her own burger. By the time she had gotten it open and taken an excited bite, savoring the warm, delicious juices of the meat as they burst forth in her mouth, Nora had already finishes hers, and tossed the wrapper over her shoulder.

"That was good. I'm gonna go order another one, back in a minute." Nora stood, dusting her hands off, and made for the back of the line. Pyrrha was just fast enough to reach out and grab Nora's sleeve before she got away.

"Nora wait! Sit down, please." Nora turned back, revealing frown and furrowed brow. Pyrrha was a little shocked by it, but set her surprise aside for Nora's sake. "You're acting very strange lately. Surely you've noticed. Talk to me, please?"

Nora pulled her arm away in anger.

"You don't get to judge my, Pyrrha! I know all about what you do and who you are! You think you're so pretty and perfect, but really you're afraid to even tell people when you're upset because it'll ruin your perfect, stupid image!" Pyrrha recoiled slowly, stunned, mouth agape. She felt a bit of pain in her chest as well, but whether it was for the truth of Nora's words or the tone of her voice was uncertain to her. However, upon seeing Pyrrha's wounded expression, Nora's eyes shifted, and became full of tears.

"Pyrrha! Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" Nora threw herself into Pyrrha's lap, knocking away Pyrrha's food as she pressed her face into her chest. "Oh my god, I didn't mean that, I didn't mean any of it I swear please don't be mad at me!" Pyrrha cautiously reached a hand around to pat Nora's back. Nora lifted her face, and Pyrrha could suddenly see tears streaming down her pink cheeks. "I'm so sorry! I love you so much, Pyrrha! You're always there for me and you never ask for anything back, pleasepleaseplease don't be mad at me!" Nora buried her face in Pyrrha's chest again, nuzzling it as she sobbed wildly, soaking Pyrrha's sweater with her fresh tears. Pyrrha held her, rocking back and forth as Nora sat in her lap, and thinking quietly to herself.

After a long while, Nora finally let up, but even then she refused to let go of Pyrrha. They sat alone, ignoring the eyes of passersby as Pyrrha did her best to comfort her passionate friend. Nora said nothing, and once or twice Pyrrha wondered if she had fallen asleep. As minutes turned to an hour, Pyrrha had finally come up with a course of action. She took Nora's chin between her fingers, and lifted her face to look her on the eye. Nora's eyes were red and swollen, and her nose was slightly dripping with snot. Pyrrha gave her a sweet smile, and Nora responded in kind.

"I'm going to run down the street to get something, Nora. Promise me you'll stay here and wait until I get back?" she said, in a soothing, motherly voice.

Nora merely nodded, smiling up at her and sniffling a bit. She then slid off Pyrrha's lap to let her up. As Pyrrha stood, she watched Nora wiping her eyes on her wooly sleeves, then took off at a light run. Nora watched her go for a while, then turned her attention to the pigeon she had hit with a snowball earlier, who had returned to feed on the scraps of Pyrrha's burger as it lie in the snow.

The bird pecked at the meat and buns, cooing softly as it ingested what was likely one of the finest meals it had ever managed to find. At first, Nora was somewhat calmed by it. She watched it hop in little circles around the burger, picking at it little by little. In time, she grew frustrated with it. She began to dislike the way it moved, and the way it seemed to be only choosing specific bits of the food to eat. She considered it ungrateful and selfish. This feeling ebbed as well. After, she felt compassion for the creature, which likely had nowhere warm to roost at night, when winter was harshest. She began to cry for it, thinking of it sitting cold and alone in an alley, huddled beneath a box for warmth. She wondered if it at least had friends to fly home too. A family who loved it, and cared for its safety. Nora began to feel lonely. She missed Ren, who had always been the most trusting and trustworthy person in her life. She missed the way he smiled, and the way he comforted her when she was upset, even when nobody else seemed to be able to notice. She missed Pyrrha, who understood her so well sometimes. She was always smiling with her, and always willing to be pulled along on whatever silly whim Nora got into her head. She missed Jaune, and his…generosity. As this thought crossed her mind, her thoughts flowed to the time she and Jaune had spent together that day, and how she still wanted that sweet moment of release only he seemed to be able to provide her anymore.

Pyrrha returned shortly, snapping Nora's thoughts from lewd fantasies to curious concern. Pyrrha breathed a bit heavily from the run, and held in her hand a white, plastic bag that bulged with something inside. Pyrrha reached in, and held out a pink box to Nora, who could only stare at it, stunned and afraid.

"Nora. Come on."

Back in the dorm room of JNPR, Jaune sat on the edge of his bunk, staring at the floor. Ren, who had returned some time ago, was reclining on his bed, reading a comic about witch girls, or some such. He wasn't very open about the things he enjoyed, and Jaune didn't feel right prying. Jaune himself had dressed shortly after Ren's arrival, and now stood in a long sleeve thermal shirt and pajama pants. His thoughts were mostly consumed by Nora as he remembered her from beneath the blankets, but he felt less than comfortable expressing that to Ren, and so the room was filled with near silence, save for the quiet turning of a page now and then.

As the two young men sat enjoying the peace, the door swung open slowly. Jaune and Ren both looked over to see Pyrrha and Nora quietly enter the room. It was eerily out of character for them. Pyrrha was holding onto Nora's shoulders, whispering something into her ear as Nora clutched something against her chest. Jaune felt the atmosphere in the room thicken, becoming as heavy as the snowdrifts outside as the girls crossed the room. He realized in a moment that they were coming directly toward him, and Nora's face was red and swollen, as if she had just been crying.

Jaune stood, taking a few quick steps forward, and Ren was not far behind, tossing his book aside to see what had happened. JPR circled around Nora, two out of concern, and one out of compassion. Nora began to sniffle again.

"Nora? Nora, what's wrong? Nora, please talk to me." Ren reached out, pulling Nora from Pyrrha's arms into a half hug. Jaune was silent, as he felt his heart sink into his stomach.

Nora sobbed a bit, but held back her tears as best she could. She looked up from the ground at Jaune, whose eyes were filled with worry and fear. She held out a clutched fist, and slowly opened it for Jaune to see. In it was a small, pink wand made from plastic, with a clear plastic cap on one end. Jaune stumbled back as he observed the red mark in the center. That red cross would forever remain burned into his mind from that day on.


	5. Wheirein Life Keeps Going

The winter months were hard. Jaune and Ren nearly broke their backs caring for Nora and insuring her comfort. Spring was easier. Her cravings subsided, and she was more than able to move. Summer was trouble. Nora's weight and shape made many tasks difficult for her, and though few people could see it, a bit of fear had wormed its way into Nora's warm heart. She still smiled, and was always energetic, but when things were quiet, she could be caught staring into space, pensive and unsure. Jaune did his best to make her feel warm, Pyrrha remained a stalwart friend, and Ren bent over backwards to make her smile at every opportunity. When at last the final days of Nora's pregnancy came around, JNPR was more often silent than outspoken. Jaune could hear a loud ticking, like a clock high upon a church tower, sounding in his skull when he wasn't occupied with something. Whenever he found himself with nothing to take up his time, he kept his hands moving by knitting clothes for the baby. He had enough to last until age three when the day finally came.

Jaune had been reclining in his bed at around midday. In his hands were two needles, twirling and dancing around one another as he carefully weaved a warm jacket with yellow and pink yarn. Hearing that he was to have a daughter, he picked up as much pink as he could, and Nora seemed to like it as well, which motivated his work. He thought about buttons, and possibly even patches he might like to add to the piece to give it a unique touch when Ren suddenly leapt out of bed. Jaune knew, deep down, why Ren seemed so excited. He knew why Ren's face was so shocked, and why he dashed to pull on his shoes. The truth is sometimes right before us, and yet we try not to see it. It is for this reason Jaune asked why Ren was so panicked. In response, Ren hurled Jaune's shoes and sweater at him.

"Nora's having the baby!"

Jaune sat in disbelief for a brief few moments as Ren hurriedly stuffed a few things into an overnight bag. Nine months of preparation and self-reassurance had seemed to have tempered his heart and mind for this day. He was sure he was ready. But as Ren packed, Jaune felt a pit in his stomach that threatened to swallow him whole. It wasn't until Ren snatched him up by the collar and hoisted him out of bed that he regained his composure and higher thought. He hastily pulled on his clothes, and the two men dashed out the door. They slowed only as they passed Blake in the hall, to announce the arrival of Nora's child, which caused her to spill out her armful of books onto the ground. And while normally Jaune would have been kind enough to stay and help her collect them, he had no patience for chivalry that day. He was going to be a father.

The two men sprinted full speed across the campus of Beacon, weaving and ducking through crowds of other students and staff alike. They stopped for nothing, and Jaune found within himself a well of energy and drive he'd felt only once before, when fighting an Ursa in the Forever Fall. His throat burned, and his legs had begun to hurt from the intensity of his motion, but the thoughts of what was to come pushed him on. He knew he'd be in pain. His legs might hurt, or cramp, or burn all through the night. He might want to scream and cry. He may not even be able to run again for a few days. But he needed to be there for Nora, and his daughter. This, and Ren's back just a few feet ahead kept him from falling, or stopping. When at last they reached the road and hailed a cab, Jaune dove in headfirst. After instructing the driver on where to go, Ren helped him straighten up, and rubbed his back as he tried to catch his breath. Jaune wanted to thank him, but he had not the strength. Ren would later assure him that he could feel his gratitude through his eyes.

It wasn't until half an hour later that they managed to come to the hospital's entrance. Noon traffic had slowed them to what felt like a crawl, and it took all of Ren's ability to make sure Jaune kept breathing steadily during the ride. As they exited the cab, Jaune tossed a fistful of crumpled lien through the passenger's side window, and Ren dragged out the overnight bag. They both ignored the driver's shouts, running at full speed into the hospital and the front desk. They received directions to Nora's delivery room, and with all the grace and agility of rabbits they flew toward the elevator station.

Nora's room was on the tenth floor, which was dedicated almost entirely to pediatric medicine from birth to inoculations. As the elevator doors slid open, Jaune squeezed through the opening at the earliest possible moment, followed by Ren. They made the last leg of their journey, slowing only out of courtesy for the other patients, and to read the directories as they searched for the appropriate room. On the way, they nearly knocked over two nurses and a janitor, giving only red shifting apologies as they continued on. When at last they found the room, they were stopped by Pyrrha, who was seated outside in a chair amongst a row. She was dressed in her outfit from that morning, simple shorts and a tank top.

"They'll only let Jaune in. I've been out here panicking for a while now, please go check on her." Pyrrha grabs hold of Jaune's jacket as she speaks, shaking him slightly. This disorients him, but does not distract him from the matter.

"Okay, yeah. See you guys in a while." Jaune says, pulling away from Pyrrha and turning toward the door. As he raises a hand to push it open, he finds some of his strength fading. Through this port is the rest of his life, or if not yet, soon enough it will be. After taking a moment to swallow his fear, Jaune pushes through and into the delivery room.

The first thing Jaune notices is the table on which the doctors have strapped Nora. It is heavy, mechanical, and seems to be giving off a very noticeable hum of electricity. Nora struggles against it, causing the metal to creak and cry in protest. Then there is the large intravenous bag of fluid being slowly dripped into her arm. Finally, he hears Nora's screams of pain, which filled the room, and snapped him back to reality. He began approaching before being suddenly halted by one of the three people in medical scrubs at the foot of Nora's bed. There were two more, on monitoring some screens across the room, and another watching Nora's IV drip.

"Sir! Are you the father of this child?" Jaune nodded in confirmation, and the man, presumably the doctor in charge, waved over the person at the screens. A minute later, Jaune was wrapped in a plastic smock, a mask, gloves, and a medical cap that kept his hair out of his face. He approached Nora and called out to her. She turned her head, breathing heavily and sweating. She smiled up at him from the table, finally giving up her fight against the restraints that held her down. Jaune returned the smile, though she couldn't see it, and placed his hand in hers.

"Hey, Nora. Feeling okay?" he joked. He could see the pain in her face, despite her mask of cheer. He squeezed her hand slightly to reassure her.

"Never better. Just gotta wrap this up and we can-Agh!" Nora threw her head back and let out another cry, almost crushing Jaune's hand. He had just enough time to protect his bones with his aura, but the pressure of Nora's grip already burned up a decently big chunk of it. This would be as tiring for him as Nora, it seemed. When she finally came down from the pain, she caught her breath and turned to Jaune with eyes full of tears. "Jaune, please don't leave. Please, god, don't leave me."

"I won't, Nora. I'm right here." Nora relaxed a bit, trying to blink away the tears, but soon fell upon another spike of pain, squeezing Jaune's hand and crying out.

"Just a few more pushes, Miss Valkyrie! You're almost there!" Nora continued her erratic pattern of catching her breath, crying in pain, and attempting to bestow Jaune with a mechanical hand. Jaune fought back with as much of his aura as he can muster, but he hadn't mastered true control, and near the end, he felt himself beginning to sway in place from exhaustion. He was unaware of how much time was passing. He could only measure it in the number of times Nora attempts to push. And after a long, painful process, the grand finale finally arrived.

"I can see the head! One more push!" shouted the doctor. Nora complied, giving one last powerful push from her insides, and one last squeeze of Jaune's hand. This one was the straw that broke the camel's back. Jaune collapsed to his knees, screaming as the last of his energy drained out through his fist. The room began going dark as his breathing began to enfeeble. He used his free hand to support himself for a time, trying to shake himself back to awareness, but he was too far gone. The only things he knew now were Nora's screams, the sounds of the machines, and in his very last moment, a shrill cry that both frightened him, and warmed his heart.

Then, all was dark, and silent.

When Jaune came back to the waking world, he felt sore all throughout every muscle in his body, and drowsy to boot. He was awoken by Pyrrha and Ren. They seemed much calmer now than they had when he last saw them, and in fact they had smiles plastered on their faces. Pyrrha's cheeks seemed especially red. As Jaune wiped a bit of sweat from his brow, he took a quick look around and realized he was back in the hall where he'd left his friends. He must have been dragged out by someone and left to rest. Then he remembered what was most important in that moment.

"Guys! Where's Nora!? Where's the baby!?" He shot up from the row of chairs and looked down the hall, both ways, as if expecting a sign to appear. Pyrrha rested a hand on his shoulder and pushed him back down.

"Nora's resting. The baby is fine. She's healthy and they've already given her a bath. They asked us to let you know you can hold her for a while before they bring her to the nursery." Jaune took a breath and thought. Of course he wanted to see her. But at the same time he was nervous.

"Do I even deserve to?" It wasn't more than a moment before he realized he had said this thought aloud. He looked at his teammates in fear. They gave him frustrated and slightly angry looks in return.

"Jaune, don't start doubting yourself now. If there was ever a time to act tough, it's for this sweet, innocent little girl. Let her see her daddy's face now that she's here." Ren's words were firm, but comforting. Jaune shut his eyes and relaxed his body, letting himself slouch a bit. He mentally prepared himself for his first meeting with his own daughter, and arose to his feet. He stood tall, shoulders back, and chin up. He began marching down the hall before realizing he doesn't know the way, and turns back to ask for directions. Ren and Pyrrha smile, and lead him to Nora's room.

They entered together, silent and careful. Jaune went first, glancing around the darkened room for any sign of Nora. He found her relaxed in a soft bed; much more comfortable looking than the mechanical delivery table. As he approached her, followed closely by his teammates, he noticed her peaceful resting face. She was still slightly disheveled, but at least now the pain and fear he saw in her had been washed away, and she was able to relax. As Jaune watched her, comforted by her steady breathing, Pyrrha moved around her bed to a small, plastic bassinet.

"Jaune. Someone's waiting for you." Jaune turned his gaze up at Pyrrha, seeing her warm smile, and following her line of sight to the bassinet. Nervously, he approached it, stopping next to Pyrrha and looking down into it to see the baby swaddled inside.

She was small and a bit red. Her eyes were shut tight, and she had a shock of blonde hair on her head that was surprisingly thick. It seemed Jaune would have to ask Yang for a few tips on caring for her hair later. He watched as the tiny creature turned her head up, and opened her little eyes to see him. He felt something in him activate, and suddenly his instincts commanded him to guard this delicate thing with his life. They told him to scoop her up, and never put her down. Jaune reached in, and lifted her gently, cradling her as he'd done to his own baby sisters during their infancy. He held her close to his chest, and gazed down into her wide, little eyes. She seemed to fixate on his face, and Jaune hoped she was aware of who he was, even though he knew she wasn't. As he smiled down at her, she reached a weak arm out toward him and cooed.

"Hey. Do you know who I am? I'm your papa. Yup. You came from me. I'm gonna take care of you from now on, okay?" Pyrrha held her fingers over her lips to hide her wide smile as Jaune whispered to the newborn girl. He didn't take his eyes from her face for even a moment. "Soon we're gonna go home, and be together every day. And I know we just met and all, but I think I love you." Jaune held a finger above her head, slowly teasing her with it. She reached out and took it in her grip, squeezing tight. Jaune felt tears coming on.

Just then, the door to the room opened, and a nurse came in with a clipboard. She stepped quietly toward Jaune and gave a false smile.

"Mr. Ark, I presume? Your spouse was adamant we wait to register your daughter's name until you woke up." Jaune thought about correcting her on Nora and his status, but he decided it would only confuse things if he had. "We need her given name, please." The nurse clicked a pen to readiness, and prepared to write down Jaune's answer. He looked back as his daughter, perplexed that Nora would entrust him with such a big decision. He thought for a moment, chewing on all the ideas he had had. Finally, he settled.

"Her name is Macy. Macy Ark-Valkyrie." Pyrrha rested her head on Jaune's shoulder, and even Ren felt a bit choked up, turning away to clear his throat.

"Very well. Given name: Macy, Middle name: Kickass, Last name: Ark-Valkyrie. Someone will be in shortly to escort her to the nursery for further observation, but I don't think there will be any complications. She was loud and proud when we pulled her out. If everything goes well, you'll be out of here first thing tomorrow." The nurse clicked her pen again and turned to exit. As the door swings shut, Ren looked to Jaune.

"Kickass?" he asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Yang." Jaune responded, and all was clear.

Team RWBY dropped by not long after Macy was taken away, to see her and Nora. Nora awoke upon their arrival, and all eight of them had a cheerful time before RWBY ran off with Pyrrha to see Macy. Ren and Jaune stayed to keep Nora company, watching basic cable with her as they shared hospital food. They said little as they did, but they felt connected in their own way. When RWBY returned, they spent a little more time chatting before dinner, and left. Pyrrha went home as well, promising to explain things to the school faculty so they wouldn't receive any sort of punishment for skipping class that day. Ren, Jaune, and Nora bid her goodnight, and soon Nora was back to sleep. Jaune and Ren sat quietly in chairs on either side of Nora's bed, watching sitcoms and munching on snacks from the vending machines outside.

"Hey, Ren?" Jaune finally broke the silence between them.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for helping out."

"Word."

"You know you're her real godfather, right? We're not letting Yang have her."

"Mhm."

"Cool, just wanted to make sure."

And with that, they were silent until it was time to fall asleep in their uncomfortable chairs.

Nora awoke the next morning around 9am, and ate a full breakfast before being discharged and given custody of Macy once more. Together, she and her escorts Ren and Jaune hailed a cab and rode home in peace. Upon returning, they were greeted with warm smiles and congratulations as every student crowded to see the newborn girl and compliment her cuteness. Nora, despite being thoroughly exhausted, afforded every one of them a chance to behold her lovely larva, including Port and Glynda, who each talked her ear off with child rearing advice. When at last they made it back to their dorm, Ren helped Nora to bed as Jaune set out a bassinet and supplies by Nora's bedside. Despite being sore and beatdown, both Ren and Jaune took classes for the remainder of the day, with Ren taking careful notes for Nora to ignore later. Jaune received a few more pats on the back during the day, until he and Ren came back to their room and turned in early, falling asleep as soon as their heads hit their pillows.

Jaune dreamt briefly that evening. He had visions of his child growing, learning, and one day following in her parents' footsteps and enrolling in Beacon. He felt a supreme happiness, but also a sort of longing as he watched her phantom age before his eyes. He had just received this holy gift, and it seemed she was already leaving him behind. In reality, in the dark of JNPR room, he shed a tear in his sleep.

"Jaune." whispered a voice, stirring him to wake. He slowly opened his eyes to see Nora's familiar, smiling face at the edge of his bed. He wiped the tears away, and let his eyes adjust.

"Nora? It's late, you should be resting."

"Macy won't sleep. She's lonely."

"Is she, or are you?"

"I'm fine. She just mishesh hew daddy, don't you widdle baby?" Nora pulls Macy up to her face and gives her a light Eskimo kiss. Jaune sighs, and lifts back his covers to allow Nora to slide in. She sets Macy down between them, allowing their combined warmth to fight back the chill of night. "See? She's already happy. She really loves you, you know? I can tell."

Jaune watches Macy writhe and listens to her tiny breaths as she coos in the dark. He softly brushes some of her hair from her face, and plants a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"Hey, you're never that gentle on me." Nora comments.

"Yeah but you like it rough."

"True." Nora smirks, resting her head on Jaune's pillow. Macy shuts her eyes slowly, fighting sleep. She doesn't last long, and soon her whole body relaxes, causing Jaune to smile in delight. This is interrupted as Nora begins snoring. Jaune laughs to himself, and settles down to sleep as well.


End file.
